- The ringworm fungus has a great diversity of reservoirs -in humans, animals and the environment- and a survival of months and even years.
- They confirm the increase in cases in recent months and its relationship with "the international fashion of shaving or degrading hair" with instruments that have not been properly disinfected
The increase in cases of ringworm linked to establishments such as hairdressers has put dermatologists and the general population on alert, due to the lesions it causes and its rapid spread. "It is an infection of the skin, hair or nails, caused by fungi of the dermatophyte genus," says the hospital dermatologist. Ribera Povisa y Ribera Polusa, Javier Concheiro, who explains that "the condition in hairy areas such as the scalp or beard can present with great inflammation, even suppuration, pain and even hair loss, sometimes permanent, if early treatment is not carried out", ensures.
The head of Dermatology at the Vinalopó University Hospital, Irene Latour, who warns that cases can be complicated in immunosuppressed patients, with poor adherence to treatment or with pets that do not receive the correct treatment and can cause reinfections. For her part, the dermatologist at Torrejón University Hospital, Marta Isabel Andreu, explains that "diagnostic confirmation is achieved by culture or direct examination of the scales", while specifying that the fungus responsible for the current outbreak in Spain is Trichophyton tonsurans.
Doctor Concheiro confirms that "in recent months there has been an increase in some of the less common forms of ringworm, such as that which affects the scalp, which in some studies is linked to shaving or hair loss, which is a widespread fashion in many countries, including Spain”. The dermatology specialist cites the study as an exampleOutbreak of dermatophytosis in the head and neck region, associated with shaving in hairdressers: a multicenter descriptive study of a series of cases, endorsed by the Spanish Academy of Dermatology and Venereology. "It is suspected that poor disinfection of the utensils used in hairdressers, such as scissors, combs or electric razors, may be related to an increase in cases," he says.
Dr. Andreu assures that “hairdressers play a crucial role in controlling ringworm. They are being the focus of contagion of this outbreak, due to the fashion of the degraded or shaved haircut that requires frequent cutting with a razor.
For Dr. Latour, "the type of haircut should not influence the spread of ringworm, as long as the material is properly sterilized or disinfected", but she clarifies that "if the hair clipper is used on a patient with ringworm and then the same razor is passed to another client, contagion is possible ”. Contagion can also occur if there is direct contact with an animal that has ringworm, and "in geophilic forms, since its reservoir is the soil, it is possible that contagion occurs when walking barefoot or handling or standing on this surface ”, as explained by the dermatologist from Ribera Povisa and Ribera Polusa, the hospitals that the Ribera healthcare group has in Vigo and Lugo.
Prevent the spread of ringworm and difference in symptoms with dermatitis
To prevent contagion, Dr. Concheiro assures that "we must try not to share cleaning supplies, go to beauty centers and hairdressers that ensure correct disinfection of work material, check pets well and frequently, carry out a correct washing of hands after contact with other animals and wearing flip flops in changing rooms and swimming pools”. He recalls that "the ringworm fungus has a great diversity of reservoirs -in humans, animals and the environment- and great survival, since it can survive for months or years if it is protected from drying out."
As regards the treatment of these fungal infections, Dr. Concheiro explains that the most common are topical and oral which, depending on the case, "last weeks or even months." He warns that "it is necessary to complete the treatment correctly to achieve a definitive cure and avoid possible sequelae, such as scarring alopecia." Specifically, the Torrejón dermatologist explains that when the infection is on non-hairy skin, "an antifungal cream for 2 weeks may be enough." However, he adds, for tinea capitis, which affects the scalp, as well as onychomycosis (fungal infection in the nails) "the most effective treatment is an oral antifungal, the duration of which varies, depending on the response, with a minimum duration of 4 weeks.
The head of Dermatology at Vinalopó recalls, however, that "not all itching and flaking of the scalp is ringworm." “There is a very frequent condition, which is seborrheic dermatitis, which does not cause hair loss or inflammation of the scalp and which can be identified quite easily because the main symptom is dandruff or scalp flaking, normally in a widespread”.
